Combination furniture



Apri'14, 1933. T ABRAMS 1,903,404-

COMBINATION FURNITURE Filed June 16. 1932 Patented Apr. 4, 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFlicE THEODORE ABRAMS, WOODHAVEN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOSTUDIO COUCH .I PATENTS CO. INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COMBINATIONFURNITURE Application led .Tune 16,

This invention relates to combination furniture, and has more particularreference to certain improvements in combined lounges and beds of th-etype which include two frames nested one within vthe other when used asa lounge and in which the frames are either disposed in side by sidecontiguous relation to serve as a double bed or separated from eachother to serve as twin or indi- 13 vidual beds. -Furniture of this typeis vari- ,ously known in the trade as twin studio divans, bed couches orunder other similar names, which are really immaterial so far as thepresent invention is concerned except l5 for the purpose of defininggenerally the type of furniture to which the invention relates.

Articles of furniture of this type which are now in general use and onthe market g have been found to be open to the objection and to possessthe distinct disadvantage that they are difficult and laborious for oneperson to shift the two frames from the nested relation to the opened orunnested relation, as it requires either bending over and grasping ofthe outer frame at the center of the lower edge or grasping of the uppermattress, which tends to distort or disig'ure the same. Incontradistinction to this, the shifting of the frames to a nestedrelation is neither diiiicult nor laborious. y

The present invention ltherefore broadly comprehends the conceptive ideaof providing in combination furniture .of this character, normallyrestrained or detained manually releasable interengaging `means on saidframes which acts, when released, to shift the frames from a nested toan unnested relation. y

More particularly, the invention embodies the provision of means on oneof the frames which engages with means on the other frame to place oneof said means under tension when the frames are 4moved to nestedposition. together with means for holding or retaining said frames whenso nested against movement to unnested position by the tension of saidmeans until manually released.

rThe invention further contemplates such means which does not, whenreleased, estab- 1932. Serial No. 617,622,-

lish a'connection between theframes which would serve as an impedimentor obstruction to the complete separation of the frames for use asseparate or twin beds.

The invention furthermore resides in the provision of detaining orretaining means for the purpose set forth so constructed and arranged asto permit of manual release from either end of the couch, so that theperson eecting the release is so located as to be disposed out of thepath of movement of the movable frame as the same is moved by thetension means to the unnested position.

As a still 'further ob]- ect, the invention embodies an improvement ofthe indicated character which is comparatively simple in itsconstruction and mode of operation, which may be inexpensively producedand installed upon or incorporated in articles of furniture of thischaracter and which is highly efficient in its purpose.

With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had tothe following specification and accompanying' drawing, in which there isillustrated a preferred em- V75 bodiment of the invention, while theclaims define and mark out the actual scope of the invention.

In the drawing.: 4

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts broken away and shown in section todisclose the underlying structure and illustrating in full and brokenlines the several positions of the frames.

Figure 2'is. a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the lineindicated at 2 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken approximatelyon the line indicated at 3-3 in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, A and B designategenerally the two frames of the combined lounge and bed or beds, and inthe present instance the frame A will be referred to as the outer ormovable frame and the frame B as the inner or iXed frame, although it isto be understood that this is not intended as a limitation upon thescope of the invention but is employed for the sake of clearness indescribing the same. V 100 As shown, the outer or movable frame isdesigned to move from the dotted line nested position covering the inneror fixed frame to the full line extended or unnested position, asillustrated in Figures l and 2, it being understood that the outer ormovable frame is larger in height, width and depth for this purpose, asis the common construction of these articles. The frame A includes anupper front rail 10 and an upper rear rail 11, upper end rails 12 anddepending front and rear legs 13 and 14 which are provided with castors,rollers orequivalent iioor bearing elements 15 by virtueof which theframe may be readily moved. The rear frame B likewise includes front andrear side rails 16 and 17, end rails18 and depending front and rear legs19 and 20 which are also provided with castors or equivalent floorbearing elements 21. As is customary in these articles of furniture,themovable and fixed frames are respectively provided withinterengageable elements 22 and 23 which are in the nature of reverselydirected hooks or equivalent means, the purpose of which is to preventcomplete 'separation of the frames when extended or moved to an unnestedposition so as to locate and hold the same in contiguous relation whenthe frames are to form a double bed when extended. The elements 22`and23 may, however, be readily l'disengaged by lifting one frame slightlywith reference to the other so that the frames may be independently usedas separate or twin beds. The foregoing is a general description of thetype of article of furniture to which' the invention pertains, and, aspreviously set forth, the movable outer frame has heretofore been movedfrom a nested position telescopically arranged over the fixed innerframe by directlypulling the movable frame outwardly in any manner inwhich the user elects or can accomplish the movement.

The present-invention aims to provide suitable means such as hereindisclosed or its equivalent, for normally urging or. shifting the framesapart to an unnested onextended position, which means, as illustrated inFigures 1 to 3, inclusive, consists of a pair of coiled contractilesprings 25, the outer ends` of which are respectively anchored as at 26to the front legs 19 of the inner or fixed frame. B, and the inner endsof which are respectivevly engaged in the apertured ears 27 of anabutment plate 28 to connect the springs with 'said plate and form anelastic element spanning spaced portions of the frame. The plate 28 issuspended and mounted for guided movement from a position adjacent thefrontof the inner or fixed frame as shown in full lines in Figure 1, to-a position adjacent the rear of the frame B, as illustrated in dottedlines in Figure 1. As shown, the plate 28 is provided with upstandingarms 29 which are apertured and receive therethrough the suspension andguide Wires 30 which are anchored to and extend between the front andrear upper side rails 16 and 17 of the frame B. rlhe means furtherincludes a push or thrust bar 31 which'isanchored at 32 to the front ofthe outer or movable frame A and which extends transversely rearwardfrom the front of the frame A to the rear thereof, said push or thrustbar being supported adj acent its rear end by a depending l-eg 33 whichis provided with a castor `or other equivalent floor bearing element 34.From this construction and arrangement, it is apparent, assuming theframes to be in the full line position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,that movement of the frame A inwardly toward the frame B to nest theframes will cause the leg 33 of the push or thrust bar to contact andengage with the abutment plate 28, and as the frames are moved tonesting relation, the abutment plate moving from its normal positionadjacentthe front of the frame B toward the rear of the frame B willstretch the springs 25 and place them under tension, which tension issufficient when the frames are completely nested t-o shift the framesfrom the nested to the unnested relation, which movement due tomoment-um is arrested when the elements 22 and 23 come into contact.

In orderto provide means for detainingv or locking the frames .inneste-d relation against the action of the-springs 25 when placed undertension, any. suitable detent means may be employed. This detent orlocking means which has been selected for the purpose of the presentillustration consists of a latch bolt 35 which is mounted and guided forvertical movement in a latch housing 36 and is normally projecteddownwardly by a spring 37, Where it is disposed in the path of movementof a catch terminal 38 provided at the free inner end of the push orthrust bar 31. The catch termin-al is formed with an in clined cam face39 which cams the bolt 35 upwardly against the action of the spring 37when the frames are moved to fully nested condition and the bolt 35 thenobviously retains and holds the frames in nested condition with thesprings 25 under tension until the latch bolt 35 is moved upwardly outof engagement with the 4catch `terminal 38. As shown, the bolt housing36 is secured to a depending bracket 40 which is secured to the rearside rail 17 of the frame B. In lorder to provide means for releasingthe latch bolt 35, which means may be manipulated from either end of thecouch, a flexible cable 41 is attached to the latch bolt 35' and isprovided with branch leads 42 and 43 which are respectively trained overguide sheaves 44 and 45. The opposite ends of the branch leads 42 and 43extend through the ends of the frame B. preferably adjacent the rearsi-d-e rails ,17 and the terminals are provided with manipulating ringsor equivalent elements 46.

From the foregoing, it Willy thus be seen that when the frames are inthe unnested or plate 28, thereby stretching'and placing the springs 25under tension. As the catch terminal 38 engages With the latch bolt 35,the frames are automatically locked in nested relation With the springsunder tension, so that immediately upon release by exerting a pull uponeither of the manipulating rings 46, the frame A Will move to anunnested extended position. Obviously, when so moved or ejected, theelements 22 and 23 in addition to acting as stops for limiting theopening,

movement of the frame A, serve to retain the frames in contiguous sideby side relation whereby the frames may be used as a double bed. If itis desired to use the frames separately as individual or tvvin beds, theelements 22 and 23 are disengaged.

From the foregoing, it Will thusbeseen that an'improvement incombination furniture of the indicated character has been devised whichis exemplified in the preferred.'

form of the invention as set forth, but it is to be clearly understoodthat no limitation is intended to the precise structuraly detalls,

Which may be varied in accordance with the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination article of furniture including a pair of laterallynestable bed frames and interengageable means on said frames forshifting the same from a nested to an unnested relation comprising anelastic element extending longitudinally across one side of one frame, arigid element on the other frame for engaging said elastic element andplacing said element under tension when the frames are moved to thenested relation and manually releasable detent means for holding theframes in nested relation against the action of the tensioned elasticmeans.

2. In an article of furnitureincluding a pair of nestable bed frames,means to propel one of the frames from its nested position With respectto the other frame, said means comprising an elastic element carried byone of the frames in a spanning position, means carried by the otherframe for impacting said elastic element upon closing movement of thevframe to produce a bight in said element and to place said elementunder tension, and manually releasable detent means having coactingelements on the respective frames, which elements interlock upon closureof the frames.

3. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forthincluding a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means onsaid frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested orextended pesition comprising an elastic element extending.longitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid elementextending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elasticelement and placing the same under tension when the frames are moved tonested relation.

4. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forthincluding a pair of laterally nestable frames; interchangeable means onsaid frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested orextended position comprising an elastic element extending longitudinallyacross one side of one frame and a rigid elementl extending transverselyacross the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing'thesame under tension when the frames are moved to the inner ends of thesprings are connected Y and means for supporting and guidingsaidabutment plate for transverse movement.. Y

5. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forth'including 'a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means onsaid frames for shiftlng the same from a nested to an unnested` orextended position comprising an A-elastic ele-- ment extendinglongitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid elementextending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elasticelement and placing the same under tension when the frames are moved tonested relation, said elastic element comprising a pair of coiledcontractile springs anchored at their outer ends to the opposite ends ofthe frame and an abutment plate to which the inner ends of the springsare connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutment platefor transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the other frameconsistingl of a bar having a depending leg adjacent itsv free end forengagement With said abutment plate.

6. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forthincluding a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means onsaid frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested orextended position comprising an elastlc element extending longitudinallyacross one side of one frame and a rigid element extending transverselyacross the other frame for engaging said elastic element and placing thesame under tension when the frames are moved to nested relation, saidelastic element com.4

ment, said transverse rigid means on the other frame consisting of a barhaving a de pending leg adjacent its free end for engagement With saidabutment plate and means at the free end of said bar and on the y otherframe adapted tointerengage when the frames are nested, for locking thesame.

7. In a combination article of furniture of the character'set forthincluding a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageable means on'said frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested orextended position comprising anelastic element eX- tendinglongitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid elementextending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elasticelement and placing the same under tension When the frames are moved tonested relation, said elastic element comprising a pair of coiledcontractile springs anchored at their 4outer ends to the opposite endsof the frame and -an abutment plate to which the inner ends of thesprings are connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutmentplate for transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the other'frame consisting of a bar Vhaving a i depending leg adjacent its freeend for engagement with said abutment plate, means at the free end ofsaid bar and on the other frameA adapted to interengage when the framesare nested, for locking the same and means for releasing said lockingmeans.

8. In a combination article of furniture of the character set forthincluding a pair of laterally nestable frames; interengageablc means onsaid frames for shifting the same from a nested to an unnested orextended position comprising an elastic element eX- tendinglongitudinally across one side of one frame and a rigid elementextending transversely across the other frame for engaging said elasticelement and placing the same under tension When the vframes are moved tonested relation, said elastic element compris'- ing a pair of coiledcontractile springs anchored at the outer ends to the opposite ends ofthe frame and an abutment plate to Which the inner ends of the springsare connected and means for supporting and guiding said abutment platefor transverse movement, said transverse rigid means on the otherframecons-isting of a bar having a depending leg adjacent its free endfor engagement with said abutment plate, means at the free end of saidbar and on the other frame adapted to interengage when the frames arenested, for locking the same and means for releasing said locking meansincluding manipulating elements located adjacent the opposite ends ofthe frame. Y

THEODORE ABRAMS.

